1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of generating printer setup instructions and controlling a printer having attached finishing devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of generating a printed instruction sheet listing the setup instructions for finishing devices attached to the printer, allowing the setup operator to carry the printed instruction sheet to the user interface on the finishing device to input the setup instructions, without having to input the instructions from memory. Additionally, the method provides for coordination of the setup instructions with a particular print job by automatically placing all print jobs in a hold state until the operator releases the print job.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
High-speed printers and copiers are often connected to so-called “finishing devices,” such as a perfect binding machine, three-hole punch and the like. Each of the finishing devices connected to the printer must be setup for a particular print job. For example, a hole punch may have mechanical detents that must be set to a predetermined configuration for a given print job. These finishing devices are connected to the printer by a simple electrical connection, consisting of a relatively small number of wires. Thus, the electrical connection between the printer and the finishing device may be capable of signaling a paper jam in the finishing device or an out-of-paper condition, but is not capable of transmitting or receiving large amounts of data or more sophisticated messages to or from the printer logic control unit (LCU). Moreover, the finishing device may be made by a third-party manufacturer and, therefore, there may be no means for even rudimentary control of the finishing device through the printer LCU. Because of these limitations, current printer systems do not provide for entry of finishing device setup instructions through the printer user interface.
In the case of a stand-alone network printer, the print jobs are submitted through the network. Alternatively, the print job could be entered through the printer user interface. In any event, when the print job is submitted through the network or printer user interface, the submitter enters certain data, often referred to as job ticket data, that includes information about certain characteristics of the job, such as paper size, and paper handling and finishing instructions, including setup instructions for the necessary finishing devices to be used in completing the print job. Such setup information is generally entered in an operator message that will be displayed on the printer user interface when the job arrives at the printer.
When a print job is entered through the network interface, the job is placed in a print server queue on the network, until a slot opens in the raster image processor (RIP) queue in the printer system. When the print job is transferred to the RIP queue, it is assigned a print job number and the RIP generates an operator message, if one is associated with the print job. The setup instructions for a given print job are displayed on the printer user interface as an operator message. The operator message informs the operator that a certain print job requires custom finishing device setup, and specifies the particular finishing device setup parameters. However, as discussed above, while the finishing device setup instructions for a particular job are displayed on the printer user interface, it is impossible, given the current state of the art, to enter setup information for finishing devices through the printer user interface. Moreover, typical printer user interfaces allow the display of only a limited amount of information in an operator message, for example sixty-three characters, thereby imposing restrictions on the amount of instructions that may displayed at a given time on the printer user interface. This results in a limited amount of information being provided to the operator, possibly in a cryptic, abbreviated fashion, making it difficult for inexperienced operators to properly setup the machine and making it more likely that even experienced operators will misunderstand the instructions.
Typical arrangements of printer systems often place the finishing devices some twenty to thirty feet from the printer user interface. Thus, the operator is required to read the setup instructions from the printer user interface, quickly memorize the setup instructions for one or more finishing devices, walk to the finishing devices and enter the individual setup instructions for each print job. This limitation introduces the potential for human error, in that the operator must accurately recall and enter the setup instructions for a particular job at a location remote to where the instructions are displayed. At the high print volumes made possible by high-speed, high-capacity printer systems, human error in the setup of finishing devices can result in expensive wasted print runs, where, for example, the hole punch is setup incorrectly and places the holes in other than the desired locations. Furthermore, it is impossible for the operator to re-check the instructions he or she has entered without repeating the entire process, walking back to the printer user interface, re-reading the instructions, walking back to the finishing device and re-checking the instructions entered. In addition to the potential for human error, this process slows down the preparation and execution of print jobs, thus impairing overall productivity. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved method of displaying instructions that would minimize the reliance on operator memory and would minimize the amount of times the operator is required to walk back and forth between the printer user interface and the finishing devices. Additionally, there is a need in the art for an improved method of generating setup instructions that would increase the amount of information available to the operator.
Finally, the operator must perform all of the finishing device setup tasks individually on multiple print jobs that are processed sequentially through the print system at a high rate of speed. The potential therefore exists for a situation in which the operator sets up a given finishing device for particular print job while there are other print jobs in the marking engine queue that may not generate operator messages. The operator may therefore setup finishing devices for the first print job, and a later print job may come through the system before the operator is able to re-set the finishing devices for the later job, thus wasting the materials expended in the later print job.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method of setting up finishing devices for individual print jobs while preventing later print jobs that may be resident in the marking engine queue from being processed before the operator has re-set the finishing device parameters for the next print job.